Explosive Combustion Device for Biological Materials

ABSTRACT

An explosive combustion device for biological materials such as husks, cores, and chaff includes a feed unit having from upstream to downstream a pulverizer, a hopper, and a pneumatic conveyor; an air delivery unit having from upstream to downstream a vortex blower, an air tank, and an air volume regulator; a heating unit having from upstream to downstream a fuel source, a fuel flow control, and a heater; a combustion unit heated by the heater, the combustion unit being adapted to receive particles from the pneumatic conveyor and the compressed air from the air volume regulator; and a nozzle at an outlet of the combustion unit. The particles and the compressed air are mixed in the combustion unit turbulently to fully combust.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to combustors and more particularly to a combustion system for biological materials including husks, cores, and chaff.

2. Description of Related Art

It is typical of burning biodegradable materials such as husks, cores, and chaff or disposing these waste materials by burial (i.e., landfill). Regarding burning, it may pollute air. Regarding landfill, it may occupy precious land and pollute ground water. The scale of burning above biodegradable materials is small worldwide. Further, burning efficiency is low. Furthermore, it is difficult of disposing the resultant ash. Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a combustion system for biological materials including husks, cores, and chaff, the combustion system can be employed as an environmentally friendly heat source for many applications.

To achieve the above and other objects, the invention provides a system for a combustion mixture of fuel, air, and particles of solid biodegradable materials including husks, cores, and chaff, comprising a feed unit comprising, from upstream to downstream, a pulverizer, a hopper, and a pneumatic conveyor; an air delivery unit comprising, from upstream to downstream, a vortex blower, an air tank, and an air volume regulator; a heating unit comprising, from upstream to downstream, a fuel source, a fuel flow control, and a heater; a combustion unit heated by the heater, the combustion unit being adapted to receive particles from the pneumatic conveyor and compressed air from the air volume regulator; and a nozzle at an outlet of the combustion unit, wherein the particles and the compressed air are mixed in the combustion unit turbulently to fully combust when the combustion unit is heated to a temperature between about 400° C. to about 1,350° C.

By utilizing the invention, a number of advantages including fully use of typically useless husks, cores, and chaff as an environmentally friendly heat source, decreasing air pollution, decreasing sites for landfill, and saving energy can be obtained.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a combustion system for biological materials according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation schematically showing the pneumatic conveyor and associate components;

FIG. 3 is perspective view of the housing; and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the housing and a mounting plate mounted therebelow.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a combustion system for biological materials in accordance with the invention comprises a feed unit, an air delivery unit, a heating unit, a combustion unit 4, and a nozzle 5. The components are discussed in detail below. The feed unit comprises, from upstream to downstream, a pulverizer 11, a hopper 12, a reciprocating screw 13, a pneumatic conveyor 14 for generating vortex, the pneumatic conveyor 14 including a variable-frequency speed control 141 operatively connected thereto, and a feed pipe 15 operatively interconnecting the pneumatic conveyor 14 and the combustion unit 4. The air delivery unit comprises, from upstream to downstream, a vortex blower 21, an air tank 22, an air volume regulator 23, and at least one air duct 24 operatively interconnecting the air volume regulator 23 and the combustion unit 4. Moreover, the pneumatic conveyor 14 is activated by the compressed air supplied from the air duct 24. The heating unit comprises, from upstream to downstream, a fuel tank 31, a fuel flow control 32, a fuel duct 33, and a heater 34 for heating the combustion unit 4 by means of the fuel supplied from the fuel tank 31.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the combustion unit 4 is implemented as a housing 41 including a first cylinder 412, a second cylinder 413 having an inner diameter smaller than that of the first cylinder 412, and an intermediate truncated conic member 411. A mounting plate 6 is mounted to bottom of the first cylinder 412 and comprises a through hole having a diameter smaller than that of the first cylinder 412. The housing 41 is refractory in nature. The housing 41 comprises a refractory outer layer formed of steel and a refractory lining formed of, for example, nanometer coating. The housing 41 has ports connected to the feed pipe 15, the air duct 24, and the heater 34 respectively. Also, the nozzle 5 is formed at an outlet of the combustion unit 4.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an operation of the invention will be described in detail below. The pulverizer 11 is adapted to pulverize husks, cores, chaff, or the like. The pulverized particles are conveyed from the pulverizer 11 to the hopper 12. The reciprocating screw 13 then moves the pulverized particles (i.e., powder) to the pneumatic conveyor 14. The variable-frequency speed control 141 is adapted to control the feed speed of the pneumatic conveyor 14. The amount of air flowing from the air tank 22 to the combustion unit 4 via the air duct 24 can be controlled by the air volume regulator 23. The powder and the compressed air are turbulently mixed in the combustion unit 4 which is heated to a predetermined high temperature in order to render full combustion therein. Flame in the combustion unit 4 may pass the nozzle 5 with exhaust speed being greatly increased prior to be used as a heat source for desired applications. The not totally burned powder is retained in the combustion unit 4 until being completely combusted.

The combustion process may be detailed further as below. Fuel is heated by the heater 34 to heat the combustion unit 4 to a high temperature between about 400° C. to about 1,350° C. The turbulent compressed air and the high speed moving powder are mixed and immediately combusted in the combustion unit 4. It is noted that vortex is continuously generated in the combustion unit 4. Also, the powder is quickly moved into the combustion unit 4 through the feed pipe 15 by the vortex generated by the pneumatic conveyor 14, and the compressed air is continuously supplied to the combustion unit 4 via the air duct 24. Flame in the combustion unit 4 may pass the nozzle 5 with exhaust speed being greatly increase prior to be used as a heat source for desired applications. The not totally burned powder is retained in the combustion unit 4 until being completely combusted.

While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. 

1. A system for a combustion mixture of fuel, air, and particles of solid biodegradable materials including husks, cores, and chaff, comprising: a feed unit comprising, from upstream to downstream, a pulverizer, a hopper, and a pneumatic conveyor; an air delivery unit comprising, from upstream to downstream, a vortex blower, an air tank, and an air volume regulator; a heating unit comprising, from upstream to downstream, a fuel source, a fuel flow control, and a heater; a combustion unit heated by the heater, the combustion unit being adapted to receive particles from the pneumatic conveyor and compressed air from the air volume regulator; and a nozzle at an outlet of the combustion unit, wherein the particles and the compressed air are mixed in the combustion unit turbulently to fully combust when the combustion unit is heated to a temperature between about 400° C. to about 1,350°; wherein the combustion unit is a refractory steel housing having a refractory lining and comprises a hollow first cylinder, a hollow second cylinder having an inner diameter smaller than that of the first cylinder, and a hollow, truncated conic member formed between the first cylinder and the second cylinder; and wherein the pneumatic conveyor is activated by the compressed air from the air volume regulator.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the combustion unit further comprises a mounting plate disposed on bottom of the first cylinder. 3-5. (canceled) 